UPDATE 1-U.S. Navy opens door to more orders of Boeing jets

WASHINGTON Feb 26 (Reuters) - The U.S. Navy on Thursday
opened the door to further purchases of Boeing Co F/A-18
fighter jets and EA-18G fighter jets, saying it may ask
lawmakers to finance the planes as part of a list of "unfunded
priorities" to be sent to Congress.

More orders would help Boeing extend its St. Louis F/A-18
production line beyond 2017, but congressional aides and defense
officials said it remained unclear if Congress would ultimately
fund more jets at a time when it has yet to reach agreement
about removing budget caps that are due to resume in 2016.

"It's still very much on the fence," said one defense
official when asked about the likelihood of continued orders for
the popular Boeing warplanes.

Chief of Naval Operations Jonathan Greenert told reporters
after a hearing of the House Appropriations Committee's
subcommittee on defense that the Navy was weighing "a whole
host" of items for the wish lists that help guide lawmakers as
they decide whether to add items to the Pentagon's base budget.

He said the Navy faced possible fighter jet shortfalls on
its aircraft carriers next decade when most older model F/A-18s
will be retired but the Navy will still be buying newer F-35
fighter jets built by Lockheed Martin Corp.

Navy Secretary Ray Mabus told reporters the Navy was mindful
that the Boeing line would end without further orders, but
stopped short of saying he would endorse a request for more
jets.

He said Navy officials were working with Boeing to set the
pace of production of 15 EA-18G electronic attack jets added to
the fiscal 2015 budget by Congress, and would try to assist
Boeing as it sought possible foreign orders for the jets.
Continued...